I teach a class called “social media marketing” and fervently believe that social media does change everything…especially what marketing people do. But what actually IS the new paradigm? So many flavors of marketing are discussed in relation to the online world.

I really enjoyed the book Marketing in the age of Google and believe that the concept of ZMOT is powerful… But acknowledging the importance of search engine optimization, I believe that we have moved beyond simple Search Engine Marketing or Google Marketing. eMarketing and Digital Marketing are too general and sound like Internet Marketing from the pre-social days.

So what should Social Marketing be called. I much prefer Social Media Marketing to Facebook Marketing and do not believe that FB will get the stranglehold to merit their name on the new paradigm. Many observers stress that the change is bigger than a single platform like FB or even all the SM platforms as indicated by SMM and have tried to name a new paradigm based on a more fundamental change.

In this brave new world customers must allow us to interact so perhaps it should be called Permission-based Marketing or Like Marketing (however with the changes made to the algorithm-once-known-as-Edgerank, Like has become pay-for-play on FB). Inbound Marketing also reflects the power shift to customers.

Content Marketing seems the preferred flavor today. The mission of an organization is to engage its customers and prospects with the right content at the right time!

Of course the “right time” in the previous paragraph suggests Real-time Marketing, which sounds better than newsjacking. (Real-time Marketing is what Kenneth Cole seems to do so well.) Real-time and properly positioned content also leads to Contextual Marketing, which does not seem to be getting traction yet despite several advocates proclaiming it the new new marketing.

What are other contenders for the incredible marketing transformation?

Influence Marketing – it is all word-of mouth on steroids, right? And Klout must measure something if we all follow it!

Hashtag Marketing – We all know that “hashtags are the new URL” right?

I have listed 14 names for the New Marketing above. Which did I miss???

Which do you think best describes the world of marketing? Please answer the short poll:

One Response to ##@!# Marketing: Too much #Hype?

Interesting – I didn’t know that there are so many definitions. I guess it depends on the size of a company and if you sell commodities or offer bespoke services (?)
As a small business owner who is basically marketing herself as an expert I have always considered any type of internet / social whatever marketing a filter for the ‘right’ customers.

For example when I was working in IT sense of humor was the best criterion that allows for predicting how well a project or engagement will go. It was not really a strategy I had chosen deliberately but in hindsight my weird geeky websites had acted as a perfect filter. 10 years ago those were non-interactive and pre-web-2.0… but not that different though to social media, in relation to the aspects I want to highlight.

I voted for inbound marketing as I feel social media is an option to attract customers by allowing them to get to know you ‘personally’ before they contact you. I do the same if am going to hire a consultant… scrolling through Facebook pages, blogs, personal websites. I picked my tax advisor because of the respectful and competent way she replied to questions of users in an open discussion group.